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US 30 - Lancaster Avenue Corridor Study

Background

This two-year study is being conducted by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission as part of its Long-Range Planning effort.

The study area stretches along US 30 from its intersection with Old Eagle School Road in the west, to the intersection with 52nd Street in West Philadelphia in the east. In general, the study area encompasses land within approximately a one-mile radius from the centerline of Lancaster Avenue. It also includes the area in the vicinity of the SEPTA Norristown High Speed Line stations in Delaware County.

The study corridor [1.3 MB .pdf], Lancaster Avenue, provides direct access from Philadelphia and the Main Line Corridor to I-476 (the Blue Route) and US 1. This study will address potential improvements to Lancaster Avenue, as well as parallel and perpendicular routes such as Montgomery Avenue, Conestoga Road, and Haverford Road. Recommendations will be developed that promote pedestrian and bicycle safety as well as improved access to transit (SEPTA Paoli/Thorndale Regional Rail Line, Norristown High Speed Line, and various SEPTA bus routes). The study team will develop conceptual improvement alternatives that are aesthetically and functionally compatible with the character of the study area.

Goals of Study

The overall goals of the study are to recommend policies to achieve a more sustainable region, predicated on better linking land use and transportation plans and projects to achieve smart growth. These can be achieved by providing municipalities with both short-term and long-term recommendations for land use and transportation improvements that will not only allow for safe and efficient flow of traffic throughout the corridor, but also respect its unique cultural and historic resources. In addition, a prioritized implementation plan will be developed, along with possible funding sources, that identifies improvements that preserve the livability of the corridor and support needed roadway improvements.

Organizing the Corridor

The US 30 corridor is a large complex area comprised of a diverse range of urban and suburban environments. For the purposes of this study, the corridor has been broken up into a series of 14 sub-areas. The extent of each sub-area was determined by land use and transportation context as well as municipal jurisdiction. In some places, the sub-areas correspond well to known neighborhoods, while others collect transitional areas and less well-defined locales.

Land Use Contexts

Understanding the surrounding land use context is essential to planning the future of any transportation facility. The character of surrounding development provides guidance on who will need to use the facility and how they will use it. The US 30 corridor is comprised of several context areas [2.1 MB .pdf]. These context areas contain a unique combination of built and natural characteristics made up of different land uses, architectural styles, building density, roadways, and natural features.

Corridor Land Use Contexts

  • Town Center
    A mixed use, high-density area with buildings adjacent to the sidewalk, typically two to four stories tall with commercial operations on the ground floor and offices or residences above. Parking usually occupies both sides of the street, with parking lots behind the buildings.
  • Suburban Center
    Often a mixed-use, cohesive collection of land uses that may include residential, office, retail, and restaurant uses where commercial uses serve surrounding neighborhoods. These areas are typically designed to be accessible by car, and may include large parking areas and garages.
  • Town Neighborhood
    Predominantly residential neighborhoods sometimes mixed with retail, restaurants, and offices. In urban places, residential buildings tend to be set close to the street with rowhomes fronting the sidewalk. Houses set back with a front garden or lawn are also common in the region.
  • Suburban Corridor
    Typically characterized by commercial strip development, sometimes interspersed with natural areas and occasional clusters of homes. Such areas consist primarily of big box stores, commercial strip centers, restaurants, auto dealerships, office parks, and gas stations.
  • Suburban Neighborhood
    Predominantly low-density residential communities, where lots are typically arranged along a curvilinear internal system of streets with limited connections to regional road networks or surrounding streets. Primarily residential, but can include community facilities such as schools, churches, recreational facilities, and some stores and offices.

Transportation Context

This study seeks to integrate land use and transportation planning by encouraging roadway design that is compatible with the land use context. The land use contexts within the study area, and the comments we have received from the public, suggest that US 30 operates as a Community Arterial throughout the corridor. This type of roadway typically sees average daily traffic volumes between 5,000–25,000 vehicles per day and has a desired operating speed between 25–50 mph. Desirable cross sectional elements for this roadway type include sidewalks, parking lanes, bicycle lanes, and a physical median or two-way left-turn lane.

Public Outreach

Fall 2010 Public Open Houses

Three public open houses were recently held to update residents and stakeholders on the progress of the study and to introduce preliminary recommendations made by the study team. These recommendations seek to enhance the assets of the corridor by addressing transportation and livability issues. Meeting attendees were encouraged to comment on these recommendations in order to help shape the final recommendations of the study. You are invited to submit your feedback by sending an e-mail to corridors@dvrpc.org.

Spring 2010 Public Informational Meetings

In the spring of 2010, three public informational meetings were held to introduce the study and allow residents and stakeholders to provide valuable feedback as to the issues of the corridor. These comments helped shape the goals and objectives of the study. The following links contain information presented at the meetings and the interactive map comment tool, which highlights comments received during the April-May comment period: